The Book Of Love
by BearGra
Summary: first fic EVER created, a simple songfic in 3 parts based off of "The Book Of Love" by Peter Gabriel. Slight rating change. C/DG
1. Chapter 1

In a moment of complete confusion DG blearily looked around to find who exactly had bashed her in the head and for what reason. After the first four or five blinks of her blue eyes she remembered…she was in lessons with Tutor, and apparently she had fallen asleep…again. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath preparing for the tirade from Tutor that was sure to come in five…four…three…two…

"DG!" Tutor exclaimed in consternation.

DG's eyes flew open and she swore she could see steam coming out of his ears. "Sorry! I must have dozed off there for a second, but I'm wide awake now. I knew I shouldn't have skipped my third cup of coffee today, but I figured it would help me sleep if I cut down on the Joe...you know?"

Startled, Tutor asked "Joe? Who's Joe?"

"Oh it's just another term for coffee on the Otherside, not an actual person" DG clarified.

"Regardless of who or what Joe may be, there is no excuse for you falling asleep in the middle of lessons…_again_." There was so much frustration bottled into that one word that DG actually winced. "I can see that we aren't going to get any more accomplished today" he sighed, "so instead, as your punishment, or your 'homework' as you like to call it, you will read this text on the mythology of the O.Z. and be prepared to be quizzed thoroughly tomorrow afternoon".

DG took the rather voluminous tome from Tutor, which required some serious bicep strength on her part and eyed it skeptically.

"The test is going to cover all of this?"

"Yes your highness, and if I were you, I'd start reading now." With that, Tutor packed up his things and made a hasty exit from the library, or as DG called it, the prison. Dutifully, she turned the cover and saw that not only was the book outrageously long, but the typeface it was written in was almost painfully small to read. Resigned to the fact she wasn't escaping anytime soon, DG turned to the beginning of chapter one.

Wyatt Cain couldn't find the Princess anywhere. He had checked all of her favorite places of Finaqua that had never failed him before on his numerous missions of locating his charge: her sister's quarters (where he had inadvertently located his son and a blushing Azkadelia…he had to remember to ask what that was about), her sitting room that had been converted into her art studio, the lake's dock to find no boats missing, and every single stall in the stable to see that every horse was present and accounted for. Not a single sign of the Princess.

Confounded and slightly panicked (although one would never know from looking at his stony expression), he was a few heartbeats away from alerting the royal guard until he realized he had yet to check one last room, the damn library. He knew that only by the power of Galinda herself would he find her there, as she openly and frequently called it her prison and he couldn't blame her for the nickname.

His time in the suit came back to him at odd times, and the dark cramped aisles of the library usually brought on his slight and erratic attacks of claustrophobia. They weren't all that extreme, he didn't go running for the window or break down in hysterics, he would just start to sweat and couldn't seem to catch his breath as easily. Usually the best remedy was to move himself near an open window and breathe deeply for a few moments after he had concluded any business he may have been handling at the onset of the attack. As small and infrequent as these attacks were, they were still annoying, and potentially embarrassing.

He didn't think anybody had noticed his moments of weakness until a few months ago when escorting DG to her lessons in the library. They had walked the path so many times before that he was becoming familiar with the outbreak of sweat on his forehead and the tightening of his collar (even though he never wore it buttoned) and was thinking of which window he would go to after he deposited DG at her desk. Suddenly DG froze in her tracks and looked up at him from her position at his side. A moment later she had grabbed his hand and literally pulled him across the library to the large secluded window seat as far away as they could get from her desk, and consequently Tutor. Neither of them said a word, she just pulled him next to her on the seat, opened the window and held his hand until he felt calm again.

He felt his body relax and his lungs started to take air at a regular pace. Once satisfied that he was over his attack he turned his head to see her profile as she was looking out the window. Finally he asked "How'd you know?"

"How'd I know about the claustrophobia or how did I know about the window trick?" she replied without turning from the view outside the glass.

"Both"

"Ah…well then you're in luck, because they both have the same answer…" she finally turned towards him and looked straight at him with those wide, impossibly blue eyes "I know because I've felt it too, ever since the Gray Gale" and with that she turned her head back to the view of Finaqua's gardens.

"Hm" was all he could think to say. He forgot sometimes that she had been locked into that tomb, not because it was insignificant, but that it set his blood on fire just thinking about her in there. It had taken him weeks to get her to confess what had happened and he had been so angry he had actually punched a hole in the wall of the room she now used as her studio. It was still there, she had refused to let the palace staff fix it, stating that it made her feel safe. He never did understand her reasoning about that. Two and a half annuals later he could still feel the rage seeth just below the surface.

They sat quietly, he watching her watch the world outside. He felt himself calm, pushing the thought of her trapped and scared into the back of his mind and instead focused on the sunlight pouring through the glass window pronounce the reds and browns of her hair. Finally her gaze swung back to his when he asked "What triggers it for you?"

She shrugged, "Usually that horrible gray-green color that was all over that place, or the sound of metal on metal, but they're a rarity here so I don't have too many attacks, but I've found that the windows always help when it does happen." Taking a deep breath she lowered her eyes from his and looked towards the area where Tutor would be waiting.

Releasing his hand she stood, "Toto's totally gonna flip if I'm late" and just like that, the way she talked about it so offhandedly, that there was no shame, no guilt, no weakness, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders he hadn't realized he'd been carrying. He followed her to her desk wondering just how DG was going to pull off flipping a rather large man when she just mastered spinning her dolls…

Shaking the memory from his head, Wyatt pushed open the library doors and was met with the sound of….he stood still, straining to hear…what was that?...snoring?

As he rounded the corner of the last book stack he found the source of the rhythmic and muffled noise at DG's desk. She was face down in a book lightly snoring and immediately he felt a tiny squeeze in his chest. He knew she hadn't been sleeping well, knew it better than anybody else at Finaqua as his dreams kept him from sleep in his chamber, a small room that adjoined hers. He knew that she paced for a while, then would work her way to her art studio and paint for hours, then collapse into her bed for an hour or two before the suns rose and she was scheduled to start her day.

In that moment, he realized that it was all their fault. They'd all been too selfish about her. Everyone demanded something from her, whether it be in lessons with Tutor, dinner parties with heads of state and neighboring dignitaries, nights with Az when the nightmares had her screaming and wild-eyed, days with him constantly at her side or two steps behind her…the list went on and on. They were all slowly crushing what they loved most about her, her wild and carefree spirit. They were all tearing it away from her one day at a time, and Cain promised himself there and then that he wouldn't let it happen.

So as not to startle her, he walked up to the table silently and slowly and lowered himself onto his haunches so he would be eye level with her when she awoke. He started to nudge her awake with a gentle hand at her shoulder until she finally lifted her face, creased down the side from her "pillow" and smiled at him.

"Hey Cain….I must have dozed of again" she yawned "what time is it?"

"Goin on about 5 o'clock Princess"

"Oh….Glitch is not going to be happy that I missed our dancing lesson" but even Cain could hear the lack of conviction she put into that statement, Glitch would forgive her anything, if he remembered there was anything to forgive that is.

With a dismissive shrug he asked "What are you doing here in the library? Thought I'd always have to drag you in here, not out"

"I fell asleep during lessons….again" blushing, she looked down at a rather incriminating wet spot on the pages of the book in front of her, "I didn't mean to, I-"

"You don't have to apologize darlin'" Cain cut her off, and put a hand on her arm. She looked down at his hand then met his eyes "I know you didn't mean to, but it's what happens when you don't sleep at night." DG blushed and looked away to stare intently at the worn tabletop.

Sighing she looked back at Cain, "Well intentional or not, I've got to pay the price" she waved her hand toward the book.

Closing the cover and reading the title Cain let out a low whistle and said "no wonder you fell asleep darlin', the outside of it alone makes me want to take a nap" which made DG giggle…and DG never giggled, must be from the lack of sleep.

"I've got to finish this and be ready for a test on it tomorrow afternoon" she sighed.

Standing up Cain said "Well you're in luck, because I think I can save you from reading this all by yourself" picking up the book, Cain walked to the chair on the opposite side of where she was and sat down.

"Unless you can speed read and then magically plant the information in my head, I don't really see how you can save me this time Tin Man"

Ignoring this, Cain leafed through the pages and grunted. "How do you feel about this, I know these stories, every kid in the O.Z. is taught this stuff from the time their able to walk and talk…why don't I give you the W.C.A. version and use it on that test tomorrow?"

Raising an eyebrow at this she asked "W.C.A.?"

"Wyatt Cain Approved"

DG almost fell out of her seat laughing. In the three annuals since the eclipse, she had never heard Cain say anything like that before…who knew he had a sense of humor?

Cain waited until her fit of laughter had passed and said "So what's it gonna be Princess? Using the book as a pillow or taking a chance on me?"

"I'll always put my money on you Wyatt, let's get down to business"

Ignoring the effect on his body from her using his first name, and first name only, he opened the book to chapter one, took a few minutes to familiarize himself with the storyline and began "Long long ago…"

_The book of love is long and boring, no one can lift the damn thing. It's full of charts and facts and figures and instructions for dancing. _

_But I love it when you read to me, and you can read me anything._


	2. Chapter 2

Songfic inspired by "The Book Of Love" by Peter Gabriel

Verse for this chapter:_The book of love has music in it. In fact that's where music comes from. Some of it is just transcendental; some of it's just really dumb. But I love it when you sing to me, and you can sing me anything.  
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><p>Today was "DG Day" - her favorite day of the month. After the impromptu study session in the library, Cain had somehow convinced her parents and Tutor that once a month she should be given a whole day and evening to herself, without any appointments or lessons.<p>

When Cain had told her about it, she'd whooped for joy and gave him a hug to outdo all other "DG hugs". She'd also started calling him Wyatt. Just Wyatt. No Cain, no Mr., just plain old Wyatt, and every time she did…he actually smiled. Wyatt Cain would smile for no damn reason but hearing his own name…and he didn't give a damn who saw it.

She did various things with her day, sometimes riding, sometimes painting, sometimes walking the maze with Az, but Cain was her constant companion. A few times she thought he was more excited about DG Day than she was. He had gone so far as to volunteer to sit for her a few times to paint him. The sittings had been numerous because it had taken quite a few attempts to get his pants "just right", although she had never confessed that to him. She had insisted the light in her studio was better than the day before and therefore would only improve her work. He had taken it all in stride like he had done it countless times before. In short, DG Day was awesome.

Today she had decided to move her easel outside by the lake to try and capture the sight of Jeb teaching Az how to row and navigate one of the boats from the dock. She had to remember to ask Az what exactly was going on there as she had noticed how Az would walk into rooms flushed for some unknown reason with Jeb right on her heels looking slightly disheveled.

Humming to herself one of her favorite Frank Sinatra songs, she concentrated on getting the light reflecting off of the water _just_ right…

Behind her, sitting in the shade under one of the massive trees by Finaqua's lake, Cain was mesmerized by DG's hands as they glided paint over the canvas. He had grunted and cursed at that easel just that morning while trying to navigate it down a particularly narrow set of stairs, but now was rewarded for his efforts. She was so engrossed with her painting and looked so relaxed and just….happy, he would pull his gun on anyone who tried to walk within 15 feet of her and ruin her day of peace.

He was keeping to the promise he made himself in the library months ago and saw that it was working. The Princess was sleeping as evidenced by the disappearance of the bags under her eyes and the bounce that had reappeared in her step when walking the halls of Finaqua. Her laughter was back and she had started singing to herself while going through the motions of palace life.

Ozma, he loved it when she sang. Most of the time she didn't realize she was doing it, like now, or when she put those "buds" in her ears connected to the music box she had conjured up that she called an "eye-pod". He prided himself on giving credit where credit was due, and his Princess could sing.

Her voice was just like her: bright, gentle and refreshing. Closing his eyes he let the sound of it wash over him and felt a sense of peace work its way through his body. This song was one of his favorites; he'd heard her sing it a few times before.

He had positioned the royal guard all around the area so that in these few moments he could relax and just soak the moment in without having to be on guard. The breeze carried DG's voice to him:

"_I would sacrifice anything come what might for the sake of havin' you near, in spite of the warning voice that comes in the night and repeats, how it yells in my ear…"_

Then it all went to hell.

With a screech from Az, a curse from Jeb and a gasp from DG, Wyatt's moment of peace shattered.

Jumping up faster than he thought his knees would allow him to he ran to DG. Protecting her with his body, he scanned the area trying to locate the threat. The sound of DG giggling uncontrollably and her hand over his shoulder pointing to the lake brought Cain's attention to the scene of the crime.

Az was laughing an uncontrollable belly-deep laugh that Cain had never heard from her before while his son was cursing a blue streak. To make matters more interesting they were in the water while their boat drifted away to the middle of the lake. Jeb's face was a mixture between horror and anger as he yelled at Azkadelia, exactly what he was saying Cain couldn't make out across the distance. Going by Az's still ongoing fit of hysterical laughter, she either didn't' care, wasn't listening, or both. Cain felt his face break into a wide smile as he realized his son had it as bad as he did.

Glancing at DG, who had managed to compose herself was watching the two out in the lake and it dawned on him that she saw it too. Jeb and Az had some explaining to do, but for the sake of his sanity they'd spare him the details, leave that to DG and Az to discuss.

Cain spotted DG's paintbrush on the ground by his boot and picked it up and handed it to her, making her meet his eyes. "Keep goin' Princess, it's beautiful."

Blushing, she nodded her thanks for the brush and took a moment to look over her painting.

"I think I'm actually done with this for the day if you don't mind." She glanced knowingly in the direction of the lake that had suddenly gone quiet and Cain understood.

"Right...everyone deserves their privacy, even if it's in the middle of the damn lake."

He heard DG laugh beside him as they started towards the palace and he quickly joined her as he thought of the look on Jeb's face.

DG couldn't help but realize that she loved listening to Wyatt's laugh better than anything she had on her iPod.

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><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> A huge thank you to JainaZekk621 for being my first (and sadly only) reviewer! YAY! I'm afraid this chapter is too corny and may not translate well, let me know what you all think!


	3. Chapter 3

_God, his eyes are gorgeous._ This was all that was running through DG's head at the moment. Sure, she should be concentrating on not tripping over the hem of her dress while walking the long (incredibly so) aisle to the dais where Wyatt was waiting, but the color of his eyes had her full attention. Well…maybe not _all_ of her attention…he had been wrestled into the O.Z.'s version of a tuxedo and the effect was stunning. His beloved fedora was absent, she noted with a some disappointment, but those pants made up for it and then some. It seemed that the royal seamstress was just as enamored with Wyatt's affinity for tight pants as she was. After this business was done with she was going to get that lady a raise…

_Ozma, she's gorgeous._ Was all that was running through Wyatt's head as he watched DG walked towards him. He didn't think his heart was going to last through her journey to the dais, where he was standing. It felt like it was about to beat out of his chest any moment. Her hair had been swept up off of her face to tumble down her back in loose waves entwined with crystals from the Vinkus territory. The gown she wore was like the lake water just outside the stained glass windows…a dazzling light blue that shimmered and slid over her body as her hips swayed down the flower-lined aisle.

For Wyatt and DG, they were the only two that existed in the entire ballroom while in reality they were surrounded by thousands of Ozians. As DG reached the dais she gave Wyatt a megawatt smile and took her place on the raised platform. Reluctantly, she tore her gaze from his and looked toward the huge doors she had walked through minutes before.

Slowly the doors were opened and a collective gasp was heard over the audience in attendance. DG felt her eyes well up, her sister was beyond beautiful. For almost two annuals Az had been dreaming of this day and she looked absolutely perfect for it. Her hair was left down and free to curl as it would over her shoulders, her dress was simple and without unnecessary adornment, but it was her face that made her exquisite. She was shining brighter than the two suns themselves, which were currently busy making the colors of the stain glass windows dance over the populace of the O.Z. gathered in the ballroom.

The ceremony was long but nobody there minded, they were all enthralled with the new royal couple. Princess Azkadelia had found her Consort in the Head of the Royal Guard, Mr. Jebediah Wyatt Cain. The love between them was a palpable thing, leaving many who encountered it with grins and a feeling of lightness in their hearts. No one throughout the kingdom could compare the Azkadelia walking her way to her future husband to the evil witch who had brought darkness to their land. Azkadelia was the pride of the kingdom today, they loved her for loving one of their own.

Throughout the ceremony DG watched Wyatt out of the corner of her eye and knew he was doing the same to her. As her sister and his son pledged themselves to one another, DG and Wyatt looked directly into each other's eyes, silently repeating the words to themselves.

She wasn't sure when it had happened, but DG knew that Wyatt it – in her mind Wyatt Cain equaled happy. Math was one of her worst subjects in school, but that was an equation she had no trouble with. It wasn't like she had woken up and said "he's the one" or anything like that. Over the course of the past few annuals, she had come to need him like oxygen. Wherever she was, he was there. Whatever she wanted to do, he made it happen (within reason of course). When she was feeling down, he made her laugh. When he was reliving the past, he shared it with her.

A deep respect had formed between them and with it, blossomed love. They had tried to keep it hidden, no royal announcements, and certainly no overt public displays of affection, but those closest to them knew. A secret like theirs didn't stay that way when you lived in a palace.

As the ceremony closed DG and she was waiting for her turn to follow the couple out to the enormous tent set up outside for the reception, she was busy wondering how she could get Wyatt close to the linen closet hidden behind a tapestry right down the hallway. A familiar hand gently grasped her arm and she glanced up into Wyatt's eyes to see that he was thinking the same thing. This time it really was _really_ difficult to not trip over her dress in her haste to vacate the ballroom.

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><p>Two weeks later it was DG Day yet again, and coincidentally her birthday. Az and Jeb were still on their honeymoon in Quadling country, they'd be returning to the palace in a week. Yesterday she had been coerced by her mother to celebrate her birthday with various heads of state. It was tradition for them to come and give her gifts, a practice which she found ridiculous since she was a Princess afterall, what exactly could they give her that she didn't already need?<p>

She had tried annuals ago to make them donate to local charities in lieu of gifts for her personally, but tradition was tradition and had to be followed. So, she had made up a list of local orphanages, schools and other charities throughout the O.Z. that she had traveled to over the last few annuals, given it to her secretary and instructed him to make sure the gifts were delivered to them when the dignitaries had left.

But as it was DG Day, she had the whole day to herself. She had decided to spend the day finishing her painting of Az and Jeb she had started by the lake two annuals ago, wanting to give it to them as a wedding present upon their return to Finaqua. She had never been able to finish it in the time since. Many other paintings had been started and completed, but for some reason DG was never fully satisfied with this one enough to label it complete.

She was working on the shading of the boat's shadow over the water when a familiar silhouette fell over her canvas.

"I remember this one, in fact I was thinkin' of it during the wedding."

Startled, DG looked up with a furrowed brow and waved toward her easel "What made you think about this during the ceremony? "

"The dress."

The memory of their time in the linen closet came rushing back to her and she now remembered him growling something along about her dress, but at the time she hadn't been paying too much attention to what he was saying, being much more interested in what he was doing.

"It made me think about the lake, and when I think about the lake, I picture you standing here that day making this very painting."

She smiled and placed a hand on his arm. "It's one of my favorite memories too Wyatt" smiling she added, "It must be one of Az's as well."

His face split into a grin, he grabbed her arm and pulled her over to his regular seat under one of the giant trees.

"What's got you in such a mood today?" She asked with a raised eyebrow after he had positioned her on his lap.

He shrugged then reached around the trunk of the tree. Pulling his hand back, she saw he had a neatly wrapped package in his hand. Handing it to her he smiled wide and said "Happy birthday Princess".

DG looked from the package in her hands to his face and smiled. Wyatt had never given her a present before.

"You didn't have to get me anything Wyatt, you know that."

"I know, but I wanted to, now go on and open it."

She did as he requested and sat there in stunned silence.

"DG?" came Wyatt's worried voice. "If you don't like it I can bring it back, it's just that I saw it in the market a few weeks ago and I remembered-"

Her laughter cut him off "I love it" she managed to say before another fit of laughter overtook her and when she finally managed to control herself she kissed him. "It's perfect Wyatt, it's the only thing I got this year that won't be donated."

She turned back to her present, a book titled "The Toddler's Guide to the Myths and Legends of the O.Z.". and promptly burst into giggles again.

"God, I can still see the look on Toto's face when I aced that test…he couldn't believe it."

"The mutt needed a reminder of just how smart you really are darlin'."

Grinning, she kissed him again, letting it last for a few moments longer this time. They broke apart when they both needed air and she laid her head on his shoulder, content to sit with him under the tree and watch the lake. They stayed there for a long while, neither speaking, just holding each other, watching the water ripple and the breeze dance through the branches of the trees.

Movement from Wyatt jostled DG out of her daydreaming and she looked up to question what was wrong.

DG gasped.

Wyatt had apparently just needed to retrieve something from his pocket. He was holding a small, but achingly beautiful sapphire ring. DG felt tears spring up as she saw the love she had for him mirrored back at her through his gorgeous eyes.

"I'm not a man of many words DG, I usually rely on my gun or my fists do my talkin' for me, but over the past annual I couldn't figure out how to get either of them to ask you to be my wife, so I guess it's up to me." He picked up her hand which had been resting on his shoulder and brought it to rest over his heart.

"Some of the happiest times of my life were with Adora and some were with Jeb, heck, the day he came into this world will always be the greatest day of my life. I didn't think I'd ever find someone that made me feel that way after Adora. I didn't want to find anyone else, I wanted her back. But Adora was gone. She went to a place I couldn't bring her back from. I didn't want to, but for Jeb's sake, I had to learn to live again. For the life of me, I wasn't sure how I was gonna' do it…until I saw you in the Tower. From that moment on I've just been repeating the same thing to myself over and over…that I just can't let you go. You're the person who makes me happy now Deeg and I want to keep you with me for the rest of my life."

Handing the ring to her he asked "What do you say? Do you think there's a place beside you for a rusty ex-Tin Man?"

Tears had been rolling down her face throughout Wyatt's speech and she wasn't sure she could get words past the lump in her throat. Her heart felt like it was going to beat through her chest and a mixture of emotions was swirling around her head, making her feel like the world was spinning.

Keeping her hand over his heart, she placed the other his cheek, leaned in close and whispered "Wyatt…this is the best DG Day ever" then crushed his mouth to hers.

He couldn't think of a better answer.

_The book of love is long and boring and written very long ago. It's full of flowers and heart-shaped boxes, and things we're all too young to know. But I love it when you give me things and you ought to give me wedding rings.  
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><p><strong><span>Author's Note<span>**:  
>Hurray for finishing my first story!<br>Thank you so much to kidda, Queen Isabella and JainaZekk621 for your reviews! I hope you enjoyed this chapter…again, I'm afraid I may have been a little too corny here. Let me know what you think!


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